The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (Construction Authority) in Metropolitan Los Angeles issued the Request for Proposals for the Foothill Extension Phase 2A light rail Alignment work. The $450-million-plus design-build-finance project will involve final design, construction and financing of 11.5-miles of track, utilities, crossings and systems; six stations and multiple bridges; and a 25-plus-acre light rail maintenance facility. Phase 2A will extend the Metro Gold Line light rail line from its current terminus in East Pasadena, adding stations in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa.

The Construction Authority will be entering into a public-private partnership with the winning bidder, who will finance the gaps between the Construction Authority's funding stream and the project's cost curve during the first several years of the project. This financing plan will afford project completion years ahead of the anticipated public funding stream.

"Our communities are eagerly awaiting arrival of the Gold Line," said Construction Authority Board Chairman, Azusa Councilman Keith Hanks. "With the construction industry's enthusiasm for the financing component of the project, it is incredibly exciting that we will be able to realize those dreams years earlier than we would through traditional financing.

The RFP was released to three prequalified firms, shortlisted through a competitive process earlier this year. The RFP includes more than 10,000 pages of updated engineering drawings and project information, including details of each station and the 11.5-mile corridor. The shortlisted teams include: (1) Foothill Transit Constructors (Kiewit Pacific Co. and Parsons Transportation Group Inc.); (2) Shimmick Construction Company/URS Corporation; and (3) Skanska USA Civil West California District/Balfour Beatty Rail, Inc.

"This has taken a significant effort," said Construction Authority CEO, Habib F. Balian. "My staff has spent the last five months drafting procurement documents, coordinating decisions with corridor cities, Caltrans and Metro and going through an extensive external review process which included a peer review panel of transportation agency representatives from around the country."

"Because of the level of detail we are able to provide the bidders, as well as today's very competitive bidding environment," adds Balian, "we believe the final bids will save millions of tax dollars over the next four years."

Proposals are due January 27, 2011 and an award is anticipated in April 2011.

The Phase 2A Alignment procurement is one of three procurements planned by the Construction Authority for completion of Phase 2A. The first contract was awarded in June 2010 to Skanska/AECOM for $18 million to design and build a 584-linear foot bridge over the I-210 Freeway that will allow connection between the existing Sierra Madre Villa and future Arcadia stations. A third procurement process will begin in late 2011 to select a team to design and construct parking facilities planned at the six Phase 2A stations.

Recently, Phase 2A was identified by the Los Angeles Business Journal as the fifth largest construction project under way in the county. The project is anticipated to generate 7,000 jobs and $1 billion of economic output for the region during construction.

The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1999 by the California state legislature. Its purpose is to plan, design and construct the Metro Gold Line light rail line from Union Station to the San Bernardino County Line. The first phase completed by the Construction Authority opened in 2003, connecting downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena.

Los Angeles County's Measure R half-cent sales tax increase will fully fund Phase 2A - the segment between Pasadena and Azusa. Additional funding is needed to complete the line's future planned extensions to Montclair and LA/Ontario International Airport. Both extensions are currently under study.